EPA chief: President ‘has been steadfast’ on Paris agreement

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday that President Trump has been “steadfast” in his decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, arguing that the deal is ultimately unfair to the U.S. 

“The president has been steadfast, and I’d say the courage it took to stand in the Rose Garden in June and say to the world that he was going to put America’s interest first and not be apologetic to the rest of the world,” Pruitt said on “Fox & Friends.”

Pruitt’s comments came after The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that the Trump administration was reversing its stance on the 195-nation climate accord. 

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The White House immediately pushed back on that report, saying the president remained firm on his decision to withdraw from the compact.

Trump announced in June that he would withdraw the U.S. from the agreement, which he derided as unfair to the U.S. He said that he would reconsider the withdrawal if he is able to renegotiate for more favorable terms for the U.S. 

Pruitt railed against the Paris agreement on Tuesday, saying that it imposed heavy burdens on the U.S. while largely letting countries like China and India — two of the world’s biggest polluters — off the hook. 

We are already reducing our CO2 by substantial percentages through innovation and technology,” Pruitt said. “India — no obligations until they’ve received over $2.5 trillion in money. China — no obligations until the year 2030.”